Cabinet for ironing boards and breakfast tables



w. N. JAMES Filed Feb. 20, 19:59

CABINET FOR IRONING BOARDS AND BREAKFAST TABLES Patented Aug. 26, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT; OFFICE I I y 7 mm iron I RONING BoARDs AND:

- BREAKFAST TABLES Willard N; James, Des Moines, Iowa I Application February 20, 1939 Serial No. 1 t

r 1 Claim; (01. 311-18) v v, This invention relates to improvements in cabithe table folded ontop of its central portion; and

net construction adapted to support a combinathe manner in which the ironing board is carried tion breakfast table and ironing boards. thereby in. an operative position.- i

The object of my invention-is to provide an Figure 4 is a detail sectional view taken on the improved cabinet so constructed and arranged 5 line 4-4 of Figure, 2. that a breakfast table having folding leaves, an Figure5 is a detailzsectional viewtaken on the ironing board and a sleeve board may all be: foldline '5 5 of Figure. 2 i with the, ironing board ed and supported in the cabinet when not in use, moved to operative position, as illustrated in Figthe cabinet being adapted to be inserted in an ure '3. L g g ,7 opening formed in the wall of a frame building 10 Figure .6. is an enlarged detail sectional View such as is used for residences, and supported in taken on the 1ine.:6--.6of Figurel. i 1

th space between two studdings, which are or- Figure 7 is an enlarged detailis'egmental view dinarily placed fourteen inches apart from centaken .on the line l-1 of Figurez, f 7-, V Y ter to center, the cabinet being of a depth sub- Figure 8 is a back view of the. upper end of the stantially equal to the width of the studding, cabinet illustrating the manner in-whichithe plus the thickness of the plastering, which is counter-balancingv device is supported therein usually about one-half inch, the cabinet being My improved device comprises a cabinet havso' constructed and the boards andtable so aring side members III, a bottom I I, a top 12 and ranged therein that the table may first be moved a back member 13. A portioniof theiu'pper right-'- to an operative horizontal position, after which hand corner of theqback is provided with an open-1 the ironing boards may be supported, by the taing |4, the right-hand member I!) being provided ble, wherein a single supporting means is pro' with a verticalgroove 5 spaced from its back; videdfor all of the units. edge a slight distance for receiving oneedgeof, 'More specifically, it is the object of my ma panel 16 for, closing. said opening and for provention to provide a cabinet so arrangedand, viding what I shall term an outer recess H. The constructed thatall of the units above mentioned inner edge of the panel [6 has a cleat'l8 designed may be folded within a very definite and compact to rest against the inner edge of the upper and space and at the same time be of comparatively of the back portion 13 so as;to provide what I simple and cheap construction. shall term an inner recess; l9- The back J3 is;

A further object of my invention is to provide provide with transversely arranged 01681? 20 a cabinet employing one of the closing doors as having at its inner edge a turn button 2| for means for supporting the table and i on latching the panel IG in position in a detachable boards in horizontal positions wherein the ironma-nner,;thus. providing means whereby access ing boards may be folded within the cabinetvbe may be had to the recess llgfof the purpose here-, tween the door member and the back of 'the i t made Clem; H y Y, cabinet, and provideihbonnection therewith ims p t d b t t de members In n proved means for counter-balancing the Weight slightly spaced from the back I3 is what I shall of the table as it is moved to folded position. t m cr b 22 My invention consists in the construction, ar- For closing the front end of the cabinet I rangement and combination of the various parts 40 have provided an upper door 23 and lower door of the device, whereby the objects contemplated 24, the lower door being fixed to the cabinet at are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, t 1Qwer end by hinges 25 so that its upper end pointed out in y aim, and illustrated in the is free to swing from a vertical closed position to accompanying drawing, in which: an upwardly and outwardly inclined positio Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved Hinged to the upper edge of t door 24 I have cabinet, showing the doors closed, in its normal provided breakfast t bl 26 of width position. stantially equal to the distance between the mem- Figure 2 is a front view of the same showing bers l0 and having its inner end projecting into the breakfast table moved to its operative P said cabinet and provided with a transverse tion with the upper door open and a portion of notch 21 adapted to receive the lower edge of the ironing board broken away to illustrate the the crossbar 22 when the table is in its horizonmanner in which the sleeveboard is supported tal and operative position, the door 24 being in its folded position. hinged to the table at a point substantially mid- Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on way between its ends wherein the inner end of the line 3--3 of Figure 2, showing the leaves of 5 the table may be swung downwardly and folded to position against the inner face of the door 24, after which both the table and the door 24 may be folded to a vertical and closed position.

Each side edge of the table 26 is provided with a hinged leaf 28 of a width equal to substantially one-half the width of the table 26 so that the said leaves may be folded to position on top of the table to permit the table to be folded within the cabinet, as illustrated in Figures 6 and '7.

For limiting the outward movement of the upper end of the door 24 I have provided a jointed link 29 having one end pivoted to the member 24 and its opposite end to one of the side members ID, as clearly shown in Figure 3.

For counter-balancing the inner end of the table 26 I have provided a cable 30 having one end attached to the table at the point 3|. The cable is then passed upwardly between the bar 22' and the back I3, and over a pulley 32 carried by a suitable bracket 33 suspended from the top I2 and within the upper end of the recess H, the other end of the cable 30 being provided with a suitable weight 34. Thus means is provided whereby the counter-balancing weight and cable are supported back of the panel [6 and out of sight. However, when it is desired to repair the cable or adjust the weight this may be easily done by removing the panel in the manner heretofore described, the weight 34 normally traveling between the panel and the outer wall or shiplap of the building.

Hinged to the upper edge of the cross bar 22 is an ironing board 35 substantially of ordinariy construction and of a width substantially equal to the distance between the members l0, said ironing board being adapted to rest on top of the leaves 28 of the table when in operative position and to be folded to position within the cabinet and close to the member [6, said ironing board being locked in said position by means of a turn button 36 supported on a block 31 carried in the upper end of the cabinet, the ironing board being fixed to the bar 22 by means of hinges 38.

Supported within the inner recess 19 I have provided a sleeve board 39 hinged to the back l3 by means of hinges 40, the upper end of the sleeve board being locked to position by means of a turn button 4| supported on the cleat 20, the hinges 48 being mounted on the back l3 at a position a slight distance above the bar 22.

For supporting the board 39 in a horizontal position I have provided a substantially U- shaped leg 42 having its free ends secured to the board by pivots 43, 50 arranged that when the board 39 is moved to its folded position the leg 42 will automatically swing to position around and beneath the lower end of the board 39 in the manner as clearly illustrated in Figure 2.

Thus it wil be seen that I have provided an improved cabinet which is of such size and dimensions that it may be inserted in an opening formed in the wall of an ordinary frame building and supported between two studdings spaced apart a conventional distance, with the inner edge of the cabinet substantially even with the inner face of the plastered wall so that a suitable casing may be provided for the sides, top and bottom members of the cabinet, as illustrated in Figure l and designated by the numeral 44, the cabinet being provided with doors for closing the same so that the entire construction will match the window and door casings of the room, and at the same time provide a construction so arranged that either the breakfast table, the ironing board or the sleeve board may be brought to operative position, all of which may be folded into the cabinet when not in use, thus providing combination ironing boards and breakfast table which is particularly adapted to be used in small kitchens or rooms of apartments.

By providing the panel l8 and offsetting the same relative to the back of the cabinet I have provided two recesses substantially in the same plane, one for supporting the sleeve board 39 and the other for supporting the counter-balancing means. This is accomplished with substantially the same amount of material as if the back E3 was formed in the usual manner, thus providing a recess for the counter-balancing means wherein the said means is hidden from sight without any material additional cost. By making the panel detachable, access may be had to the counter-balancing means at any time.

I claim as my invention:

A cabinet for supporting an ironing board, having ends, sides and a back, doors for closing the front side of said cabinet, a cross bar fixed to and between said sides spaced from said back and between its upper and lower ends, one corner of said back having an opening, a detachable panel for closing said opening, said panel being offset relative to the back to form inner and outer recesses with the lower end of said outer recess terminating above said cross bar to provide a passage between the cross bar and said back communicating with the lower end of said outer recess, substantially as described and for the purpose stated.

WILLARD N. JAMES. 

